When redoing the wiring of an old house or car, you often end up with a large pile of PVC cables. Even though these old wires may seem like just a tangled mess, they can still have value. Old PVC cables contain metal that can be recycled into new products. As with any other metal type, the metal in PVC cables can be collected and re-sold to scrap metal companies or recycling industries.
In this guide, we will explain how to sell old PVC cables so you can keep your business clutter-free while making a little bit of income on the side.
What Are PVC Cables?
A PVC cable is any type of wire or thin metal strip that is covered in a layer of Polyvinyl Chloride (PVC). The PVC coating insulates the metal to make the cable chemical, water, and heat-resistant. This coating also lends strength to the cable. PVC cables can vary a lot. They can range from extremely thin to very thick, the PVC plastic can vary in colour and the metal inside the cable can vary. Most PVC wires have copper or aluminium inside them; both materials are sought after and quite valuable.
Why PVC Cables Should be Recycled?
PVC cables should be recycled because they are fully recyclable. Every centimetre of these old wires can be turned into new products.
Recycling these cables can be very good for the environment since these processes keep plastics out of the earth and all of the metal inside these cables will be put to good use.
What Can Old PVC Cables Be Turned Into?
Recycling all of the old wiring and cables you have on hand is very good. These old metals can contain surprising amounts of copper and aluminium which can be useful for making a wide range of items.
Here is a quick look at some common products that old PVC cables are often recycled into.
Recycled Copper Items
- New PVC insulated cables or electrical wiring
- Pots and pans or other cookware
- Plumbing tubes
- Roofing materials
- Heat exchangers or heating systems
- Jewellery
- Ornaments
Recycled Aluminium Items
- Car parts
- Window frames
- Wire
- Tubing
- Electronic devices
- Vehicle rims
- Soda cans
- Airplane parts
- Fences
- Baseball bats
- Furniture
Recycled PVC Items
- Carpets
- Shoes
- Furniture items
- Toys
- Trash bags
- Backpacks
- Kitchenware
- Tiles
- Traffic cones
- Pipes
- Yoga Mats
How to Prepare PVC Cables for Selling
It is always best to check in with your local scrap metal company. Most scrap yards don’t accept these types of cables unless the PVC coating has already been stripped away. There are, however, some scrap metal companies that already have the needed facilities to process or strip the PVC from the metal.
Call your local scrap metal company and hear whether you should strip the cables before selling them or sell them as is.
If the scrap metal company doesn’t take wiring coated in PVC then you will need to strip all of the insulation before selling. This can be done manually or by burning the plastic to expose the copper.
Where to Sell Old PVC Cables in Melbourne
There are not too many scrap metal companies willing to deal with labour-intensive scrap materials like PVC cables. Luckily, you can still sell your piles of old metal cables to Danny Scrap Metal. Our company is happy to accept any type of scrap metal Melbourne residents may have and we will offer a good payout rate for all of the wires you can collect.
Our scrap metal buyers can even come to your location for a pickup if you have a large pile of PVC wires and other scrap metal items. With our recycling company all of those messy, bent, dented, and worn out PVC wires will be transformed into useful items.